PROBLEM

An empty output is generated using Erase in ArcGIS Pro with perfectly overlapping polygons

Last Published: October 4, 2023

Description

In ArcGIS Pro, the Erase tool runs successfully with an empty output generated and returns the following warning, "Warning 000117: Warning empty output generated."

Warning 000117 on the Erase tool

Cause

The parameters are configured with identical inputs or the polygons overlap each other perfectly. When the input feature and erase feature have the same feature layer, the tool erases everything within the features and returns an empty feature. The situation is similar when the input and erase feature are different but overlap each other completely, erasing everything within the feature.

Solution or Workaround

Ensure the overlapping polygons do not align 

Overlapping polygons

The borders of the polygon can be edited to not completely overlap each other. Refer to ArcGIS Pro: Reshape feature geometry to edit a polygon border. Alternatively, another overlapping polygon can be selected to replace one of the parameters for the Erase tool.

Ensure the input parameters are different

Ensure the feature layers for the Input Features and Erase Features parameters are different.

Erase tool with parameters

Article ID: 000031297

Software:
  • ArcGIS Pro 3 1
  • ArcGIS Pro 3 0
  • ArcGIS Pro 2 9x

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